[Excelscior]

Originally Posted by ArcticMoose

In a 'New York Minute' with... Li Na

By Matt Fitzgerald
Monday, August 27, 2012
Ninth seed Li Na won her first match in three years at the US Open on Monday when she dismissed Great Britain’s Heather Watson 6-2, 6-3


Her colorful, unpredictable personality has taken the tennis world by storm in recent seasons and in turn, has enabled her to become one of the world’s highest paid female athletes.


As part of usopen.org’s ‘In A New York Minute’ Q&A series, Li reveals the player she’d trust most to get her around on the subway, who’d make the best talk show host and more.


Which tennis player…

Would make the funniest sightseeing bus tour guide?
Francesca Schiavone.

Is most likely to shop until they drop on 5th Avenue?
Every WTA player I think.

Could have a second calling in performing arts?
Andrea Petkovic.

Do you trust most to get you around the city on the subway?
Daniela Hantuchova.

Would be the best talk show host?
Schiavone again.

Are you most likely to find reading in the New York Public Library?
There are so many players. Like today, during the rain delay, everyone had a book.

Would be most interested in visiting the city’s museums?
Marion Bartoli.

Is next to enter the candy advertising business after Federer and Sharapova?
Rafa maybe?

Would spend the entire day in Central Park?
Sam Stosur.

Would you buy a hot dog from on the street?
Petra Kvitova.
Follow USOpen.org's Matt Fitzgerald on Twitter: @tennisfitz

Okay, so she trust Petra, and would like to spend an entire day in Central Park with Sam Stosur. Mmmmmmh, on that last one.

Now, does this mean Petra's too nice, or just honorable?

Cause I still don't like how Maria cheated the way she did against Petra during the French Open, earlier this year. That wasn't kool at all. Made me lose a lot of respect for Maria.

[aselto]

Originally Posted by Excelscior

Okay, so she trust Petra, and would like to spend an entire day in Central Park with Sam Stosur. Mmmmmmh, on that last one.

Well the question was 'which player would spend the entire day in Central Park?' not 'which player would you spend the entire day in Central Park with?'.

[Excelscior]

Originally Posted by aselto

Well the question was 'which player would spend the entire day in Central Park?' not 'which player would you spend the entire day in Central Park with?'.

Oh Ok. Kool.

Stosur's known as a fitness nut. Gotcha.

[ArcticMoose]

OK Ex, I am deleting my post - BTW you need to delete your post as well as you reference my post

[Excelscior]

OK Kool, I did.

Hey, maybe some other reporter will bring it up. Hopefully not.

But if someone does, it won't be from us.

Thanks

PS: He is a good reporter. And I appreciate the article he did on Petra. But why even put it in there, if/when he mentions deception (you know what I'm trying to say Moose; wink). Lol

[Embittered]

It's at times like this I regret moving most of my thread subscriptions to "no notification".

[ShiftyFella]

Unfortunately, it was over in the first week of Grand Slam, but overall with U.S. run i can be satisfied, it was a big improvement compared to previous years. "

btw, anyone knows link to her post-match presser?

[steni]

Originally Posted by ShiftyFella

Unfortunately, it was over in the first week of Grand Slam, but overall with U.S. run i can be satisfied, it was a big improvement compared to previous years. "

btw, anyone knows link to her post-match presser?

I just checked the us open website and they dont have petra's press conference "yet", but they have azarenka's and sharapova's hmmm... us open is a shitty tournament anyways, they don't treat the players equally...

[ShiftyFella]

Originally Posted by steni

I just checked the us open website and they dont have petra's press conference "yet", but they have azarenka's and sharapova's hmmm... us open is a shitty tournament anyways, they don't treat the players equally...

uso site never posted pressers for all players, not even transcripts, i only managed to scramble some bits from different sources, if only fellow Czech fans would somehow posted it here.


btw, She played aggressive, went to me, did not do too many mistakes and I didn't have the answer. When I tried, I either messed up, or played in the wrong place. Simply all wrong. Such a helpless feeling

[steni]

I think is pretty cool what Azarenka said about Petra in her press conference!

Q. That's my question, because some people would resent the other player.

VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, but I will not take anything back. I think she's brought ‑‑ for me she's (Serena) the greatest player of all time. She took the game to the next level. As I said before, she makes me all the time to make sure that I'm taking my game, my personality, my physical aspect to the next level. So, you know, having few of the players like that in the women's tour right now is something priceless, you know, something that you cannot take away. It's the people who, you know, like Maria, like Petra those kind of girls, they always push me to be better. I mean, it's great opportunity, so I have no regret. Today I was close. I'm going to have for sure another opportunity to make something better. That's what I'm looking for.[/i]

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/int...237756272.html

[Petronius]

Originally Posted by steni

I think is pretty cool what Azarenka said about Petra in her press conference!

Q. That's my question, because some people would resent the other player.

VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, but I will not take anything back. I think she's brought ‑‑ for me she's (Serena) the greatest player of all time. She took the game to the next level. As I said before, she makes me all the time to make sure that I'm taking my game, my personality, my physical aspect to the next level. So, you know, having few of the players like that in the women's tour right now is something priceless, you know, something that you cannot take away. It's the people who, you know, like Maria, like Petra those kind of girls, they always push me to be better. I mean, it's great opportunity, so I have no regret. Today I was close. I'm going to have for sure another opportunity to make something better. That's what I'm looking for.[/i]

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/int...237756272.html

Thanks, yeah it's nice, she knows very well that Petra has her number despite being ranked lower now

[Excelscior]

Originally Posted by steni

I think is pretty cool what Azarenka said about Petra in her press conference!

Q. That's my question, because some people would resent the other player.

VICTORIA AZARENKA: Yeah, but I will not take anything back. I think she's brought ‑‑ for me she's (Serena) the greatest player of all time. She took the game to the next level. As I said before, she makes me all the time to make sure that I'm taking my game, my personality, my physical aspect to the next level. So, you know, having few of the players like that in the women's tour right now is something priceless, you know, something that you cannot take away. It's the people who, you know, like Maria, like Petra those kind of girls, they always push me to be better. I mean, it's great opportunity, so I have no regret. Today I was close. I'm going to have for sure another opportunity to make something better. That's what I'm looking for.[/i]

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/int...237756272.html

I don't think Azarenka mentioning Petra is a surprise. I think her leaving out Aga though, is noticeable/tells you something.

[Big_Banana]

I really don't know where to put this, so I post it here.

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/...t_15792939.htm

Hello, Beijing.

It's my fourth time visiting this huge city, which is also the home court of my good friend Li Na.

My first time here was for the Olympics. Unfortunately, I had no time to do any sightseeing on that trip. If possible, I would like to visit the Great Wall this time. But, it's still six hours to get there. If I go through, I don't think that I will be able to go, but if I lose, we'll see.

I can't remember the first time I met Li. All I can remember is that when I started playing on the WTA tour, she was injured. I remember hearing that if she wasn't injured, she would turn up in the top 10. Then she came back, and she was top 10.

I like her. She is a nice person. I have fun with her, and we can always talk. We like to practice at tournaments, and we always have good games. Her team is great as well.

If I had to pick one word to describe her, I'd use the word "funny". Whenever I talk to her, she is smiling. That's something people like to see. I like to smile as well.

We always practice together and talk to each other, but nothing like dinner or anything. We'll see if we have the chance this time in Beijing.

At the China Open, I won't play against her unless we both reach the final, and I would imagine the whole crowd will cheer for her since she plays here. That's normally how it is when someone is playing at home.

I know Li is a national hero here, and someone said I'm as popular in my country as she is in China.

I can't say I'm a national hero, since we have a lot of great athletes in the Czech Republic. But I have to admit winning Wimbledon last year completely changed my life.

I've never been "the girl" before. As a person, off-court life is really tough. In every tournament, I have to speak with the media, with media everywhere. I have more sponsorships, I'm doing commercials and I feel like other people have their eyes on me.

It's a little weird, but I'm used to it.

I can't tell which way is better. I have to say winning Wimbledon was the best moment of my career so far. I can't say I don't like this kind of life. For sure, I like it. Before, I was like everyone else in the Czech Republic and in the world. Now, it's a little bit different.

Here in the China Open, I hope I'll have a better result than I did in my last tournament, in Tokyo. I hope I can improve, and I will try to play my best game.

Hope to see you at the match.

it's nice to know that the two have a good relationship.

[steni]

Originally Posted by Big_Nana

I really don't know where to put this, so I post it here.

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/...t_15792939.htm



it's nice to know that the two have a good relationship.

Thanks for sharing!

[Excelscior]

Originally Posted by Big_Nana

I really don't know where to put this, so I post it here.

http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/sports/...t_15792939.htm



it's nice to know that the two have a good relationship.

Gosh, even when you wanna hate on Petra (like after that ugly Martic result), you can't.

She sounds so sweet (though she's down 40-0 on Dannie's serve now, up 4-2 in the set).

Thanks Big Nana.